Page 139 of Marrying Off My Husband

He licked his lips, and for a second, I thought he may back out–tell me he didn’t want to do something grand. As I started to arch an eyebrow at him, he said, “Would it be…inappropriate for me to propose?”

My frown morphed into a grin as my excitement built. “I love it. It’s perfect.”

“Is it?” he asked. “I feel like…I owe her so much just to get her back into my life, but…I want her to know I’m serious.”

“Aw, darlin’, we’re going to do this right, so she knows everythingandyou propose. Now, this changes everything. But for the better.” I beamed at him. “First, we’ll need a ring.”

“Yeah, I…don’t have one.”

“Well, we’ll get one,” I said, my voice incredulous. “Don’t worry, I already have a few ideas for one that will just knock her socks off. We’ll shop tomorrow morning. In the meantime, we need more. We need to make her remember everything special about your relationship.”

“I’m pretty sure she wants to forget everything about that right now.”

“Well, we are going to subtly remind her. Not enough to upset her, but just enough to get her reminiscing until you can tell her how much each of those special moments meant to you.”

He chewed his lower lip, his features pinching. “They really were, I just…Lou, what if I mess this up? What if I can’t find the words.”

“You will, darlin’, you will. You just need to open your heart and be honest with her.”

“Right,” he said.

“Now,” I answered, “give me some of those special moments so I can brainstorm how this little trip down memory lane is going to go.”

We spent another hour going over the details, selecting memories and how to represent them before we detailed the big finish.

I’d text Eve the clues, leading her from location to location as she found each object until she ended at Spencer’s. Rose petals would lead her to the beach where Spencer would be waiting to propose.

If anything would do the trick, this would.

With hope in my heart, we parted ways to get a little sleep before we had to start the setup and buy the ring.

I grinned down at Eve, sleeping on the couch, exhausted from emotion. “Tomorrow is going to be the best day of your life, Eve, I promise.”

I kissed her forehead before I snuggled next to her and caught a few hours of sleep. As the sun crept over the horizon the next morning, bright beams streaming through Eve’s front window, I woke, excitement filling me.

As I eased off the couch, Eve stirred next to me. “Lou?”

Her puffy eyes squinted at me.

“Hi, sugar,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“Did you stay all night?”

I nodded at her. “I did. But now I have to rush off because today is a new day, darlin’. I have a special surprise for you to cheer you up. I just have to get it ready.”

“Oh,” she said, her brow pinching, “Louise, that’s okay. I just…I think I’ll just curl up in my pajamas, watch movies, cry, and eat ice cream.”

“No, you will not,” I said. “You’re not going to sit here and lament what could have been. You’re going to celebrate what will be. And I’m not taking no for an answer. Now, I want you to get ready…that pink dress I bought you a few months ago that you never got to wear will be perfect. You put that on around mid-afternoon and wait for my text.”

She licked her lips, looking like she was about to protest when she thought better of it. “A-all right.”

“That’s right, darlin’. You just leave it all to Louise, and I’ll have you right as rain in no time.” I grinned at her, imagining her face as Spencer got down on one knee and offered her the ring.

The ring we still had to buy. I squeezed her hand and offered her a curt goodbye before I raced out the door and hurried to the shopping district.

Spencer waited for me on the sidewalk, pacing around as he chewed his thumbnail. He heaved a sigh of relief as he spotted me.

“Lou, I thought maybe you were ditching me.”

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